Men No Pause Here!!!

[Doggygirl]

Men No Pause Here!!!

PhoenixRising;773254 wrote: Last night was AF day #2. I am officially inspired!!

:yougo::yougo::yougo::yougo:

I am really happy for you and proud of you!! One day at a time, I know you can do it. Why, because if I can, then I know you can too.

Welcome chillgirl and foxtrott! YOU CAN TOO!! There is such unbelieveable freedom and freshness to life that comes with getting the monkey of alcohol off your back. At least that's how it is for me. My life is so full and rich today compared to where I was just a short year and a half ago. At the end of my drinking career, I stayed holed up in my house drinking alone. I contemplated suicide. I saw no point to living like that, and was too chicken to kill myself, and just was hopeless. No more, thank God. You are not alone.

My big news for the last 36 hours is that I'm officially a Mary Kay lady now. I'm having fun so far. :H

Hello to all other hot flash babes!!

DG

[dancelot]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Good afternoon, Menoprincesses!

Is it my imagination, or is it getting warmer in here? Is everyone out Christmas shopping? Ruby, are you making cookies for the menoprincesses (in spirit anyway)? Well, hello everyone wherever you are!

Doggygirl, does Mary Kay make sweat proof makeup - we are hot flash babes, right? :H

Aunty Mame, I am flattered you want to be like me when you grow up. I hate to tell you though, I'm not grown up. I still don't know what I want to be! Except I want to wear a big tiara. And a ostrich feather boa (I actually own one I bought in 1974 at Neiman Marcus - I was a warped young woman even then - but quality never goes out of style, right?). :H

My sinuses are filled with what feels like cotton, my hormones are doing funny things, so this side of my personality is coming out. But that's OK - we're all over 50 (or nearly there)!

Aside to Doggygirl - I went to the doctor yesterday, and he looked in my ears, said "I've never seen ears like this - they're not normal anatomy, you can't see in, they're not straight, they turn, etc; yes, I have "dog ears" apparently - I learned about this from a vet as to why you should never let water get in a dog's ear. Mine are the same way! I've been told this before, but this guy's reaction cracked me up.

Well, that's my story for the day, just wanted to check in with my fellow babes, and hope everyone has a great day/weekend. :h

[RejuvenateBodyMindandSpirit]

Men No Pause Here!!!

foxtrott;773324 wrote: I have come and gone on MWO a couple times, but I want to staynow and fight this deamon. This thread makes me feel "not alone". I am 59, have a good job, 4 kids, 6 grandkids and feel I am a young 59, although would love to loose 30 lbs. However, somehow, someway I know I am addicted to alcohol.....it is very ironic because my ex husband drank himself to death by age 49 and I have 3 sons with him-2 of which are alcoholic. My husband now drinks too much, not sure an alcoholic, but a problem drinker. I have gone to counseling over the years, even started an Alanon group in our small town and have read and researched everything on alcohol.

But over the last couple years I drink more and more wine...now consume 1 - 1 1/2 bottles a night...I don't feel sick in the morning but have a lot of guilt...don't remember conversations I've had on the phone - when someone says they told me something I just poo poo it off as old age memory. I have a beautiful 28 yr old daughter who has 3 great kids and we are very close. I am so afraid she will discover my secret, if she doesn't already suspect. I don't want to be where I am.

My faith is very important to me and I pray and pray for help. I know there is a plan and purpose for each of us. I keep thinking by going through this I have a first hand experience on the difficulty of quitting and maybe I am meant to deal with this and help others...

I fear for my health if I continue drinking. I come to work everyday swearing I will not stop and buy another bottle of wine. I tell myself it is the devil, it will kill me, I hate the taste of it (which I don't), I think of my grandkids...but some force overtakes me and I have that bottle bought before I know it and am drinking 5 minutes after getting home.

I know I need to develope a plan and come here several times a day. Please prayers and advice is appreciated.

Welcome Foxtrot & Chillgirl you've found the right place.

We've all been right where you find yourselves. Wine has been my drug of choice as well Foxtrot. I was drinking a bottle or two of White Zin each night...started buying the larger ones by the case to save money....was going through 4 or 5 a week before I found MWO a couple of month ago.

I found lots of support here on the boards...looks around ....this is a great thread for us gals over fifty...but the newbies nest is a great place for the first couple of weeks too.
Depending on whether you are planning on quitting completely (AF =alcohol free) or modding ...the support here is awesome!

I found downloading the book, getting my doctor on board for the Topamax, ordering the supplements [ I ordered a starter pack to jump start me...many of the suplements you can find at the health food store, but you'll have a hard time finding quality Kudzu...so you (& the new recommended amounts are higher than in the first print in the book)..so you might want to order extra, if you go this route. ] hypno tapes really helped...as well as checking in here several time a day!

:welcome:

Rejuve

[rubywillow]

Men No Pause Here!!!

I'm back!! Too tired to say much, covered in flour and stuffed with choccy! Talk later, girls.

[amethyst]

Men No Pause Here!!!

So ladies.. I have been here previously, but not in quite a while. I am early 50's, with a birthday next week. I thought I had this beat, but dang if it didn't sneak up on me again. I am currently drinking 1 to 1.5 bottles of white wine per night. I have company coming staggered out over the next week, and it suddenly hit me.... how will I be able to drink my fill without them knowing? That thought had me sitting down, all worried. I thought about all the places I could stash my bottles-but how would I deal with my empties???There will be people here for the next 2 weeks. My closet could become a landfill !!!!!

I have been a functional alkie all year. I go to work, do all the family stuff- it is when I am all alone that the bottle comes out. I went to a Christmas party today, and had bottled water all afternoon. When I got home, the bottle came out. So far, only 2 glasses. This is where I stop.

This is where I timidly ask for help. This is where I STOP. However, I know I cannot cold turkey. I have high blood pressure (caused by drinking), and that is a warning sign of problems in detox. I cannot see a doctor about this ( insurance and privacy issues - my employer has loose but close ties with my doc- a small town with not many doc options), so I must cut down ...gradually...naturally....whilst I have company. YIKES! I will post like crazy for the next 3 days, then sporadically over the next 2 weeks. However... I AM back!


Any thoughts, suggestions, or encouragement would be greatly appreciated! A good arse kicking is not out of line as well.

[rubywillow]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Good morning all!! I'll address Amethyst first, since she asked specific questions. Am, I've done the EXACT same thing. What helped me tremendously was to delay as long as possible my first drink, then drink half or smaller portions if you do 'sneak. Mix it with sparkling water or Sprite or something to help cut the amount of AL in your system and still keep you full. Make a plan to break the 'I've got to fillup quickly' urge, because that will bite you in the ass EVERY time. And yes, post, post, post, even if it seems like you're talking to yourself. One side note to all: Look at our number of posts versus number of hits (times read). It's amazing. Many, many people are reading this, hopefully getting help, without posting, so don't be afraid to post whatever and whenever you feel like it!
I had a fabulous, wear-my-ass-out weekend. Picked up 1 granddaughter at 11:45 Friday, a second at 12:00, stopped and bought dog food, got home and Hubs was wide-open packing the big truck with all the stuff I had packed to take for the weekend. We left a few minutes after one with 2 girls and 2 wriggly little dogs and a bunch of stuff. Traffic on I-85 construction area was deadlocked, so we detoured, picked up lunch, made it to the cabin by 4:00. It was 40F outside, and 40F inside!LOL Turned on the furnace, started a fire, unloaded, fed beasties, and took girls to little resort town to ride carriage and have dinner. Saturday, 2 4-y/o g'sons joined us, and in a cloud of flour we made cookies and candy, sipped hot chocolate, ate candy. Got home bout 3 yesterday, dinner at MIL's for Hubs BD at 5:00. Whew!!! Now I have a dentist appointment at 11. Talk later, girls!

[dancelot]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Ruby, will you adopt me? :H Those are wonderful childhood memories being made. I love hearing those stories! Thank you for sharing, and you describe them so well. Deep down I'm an old softie, or maybe learning in my old age that it's OK to be one.

Hi, Amethyst, welcome! OMG, can I relate to the "landfill" scenario! I'll add to Ruby's excellent advice maybe throw in small amounts of exercise to de stress (even a 5 or 10 minute walk around the block) if you can find the time, and possibly add L-Glute and/ kudzu to minimize cravings. Hopefully between tapering and starting a few changes now, you'll be prepared for when you do go AF. Good luck, and I hope to see you around. Stay close to the forum and feel free to drop in and post on this thread anytime. Same to all the lurkers!

Have a good day, menoprincesses everywhere! :h

[drylifeahead]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Ladies, may I request something?

I haven't been here for a while, and I miss you all. Made an admission in the Monthly Abstinence section, simply because this thread is now over 150 replies, and I am sure many who could/would participate don't for the length of this thread and the time it would take to read it through. I feel bad not responding to all, that's why I like to get in early...earlier the better for me.

I would love to get involved with the 'nest' thread, but it is so long I don't. So true with so many threads...

My request is we start a new one every week, or even two...with dates in title like the AA one.

What do you think?

Glad to have internet access again finally.

DLA :l

[rubywillow]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Sounds fine to me, Dry. We'll start a new one tomorrow, OK? First one here will start it. I have a sick g'daughter on her way over, so I'll be busy today. Hate when my babies don't feel good. Have a good day all!

[spedteach]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Ruby, I agree with Dance. I want to be adopted too. Just having some grandkids would suit me fine.
Does anyone have this problem? I've been sober for over 4 months and am blue as can be. The holidays have always been stressful for me so know that's part of it.
It's just that I always thought if I could stop drinking, things would be so much better.
My sons are coming home for Christmas. I have 2 weeks off from work starting Friday.
Just can't seem to shake this feeling and can't blame it's presence on alcohol.

[rubywillow]

Men No Pause Here!!!

We DO go through a depression after giving up AL sometimes. It's like we've lost a big part of our life; after all, think about how much we planned around it! Try to develop new hobbies, interests, find things you used to enjoy and try them again. Volunteer. Giving joy always pays back tenfold.

[Miss Behaving]

Men No Pause Here!!!

hello everyone!!!

DLA - thats a great suggestion and I always find that the thread that have a daily or weekly or monthly cycle about them work well.

However - Ruby: what is tomorrow!!! But a weekly one sounds good - that would seem about right given the volume, but good to get alternative opinions if they are out there

If so, I'm happy to start it off as every day starts here in NZ (actually it is somewhere in the Pacific, but until we get someone on this thread from there, I'm probably the first up) - just about when Ruby is going to bed!

And in the spirit of this thread, I propose that we do something completely illogical and have a weekly thread that starts on a Thursday!!! It would be good for me as well as I am finding a new found determination around being AF. I still have a question mark around Xmas Day that i haven't quite resolved, but for now I'm doing good!!

Ruby - looks like you are our new adoptive mother!!! Dance, Spedteach ..... can you handle another sister??!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZROB2pawLBo[/video]]YouTube - Sister Sledge singing We Are Family

Emotion hormones out in full force this morning!!!!!! Thank dog it is a beautiful day and I have lots to be grateful for.

[New Creation]

Men No Pause Here!!!

Spedteach,
Congratulations on your four months! That is so incredible!

Let me tell you a little about what kind of Christmas I am having. I had thought about giving up drinking about 6 weeks ago.....in fact, I was the one that started this thread! Anyway, because of all of our social committments I chickened out and decided to wait until January 1 to quit. So I have been partying regularly with friends but also drinking much more than usual using the holidays as an excuse (also in anticipation, I am sure, of having to quit next month). Well, I think these have probably been my bluest holidays yet! The alcohol has only exacerbated any melancholy that I have been experiencing. I so wish that I had quit a month ago as planned.

I think that perhaps this year is much harder on all of us if we let things get to us in that there is so much unrest and concern for the future in the world right now. I think we all dream of the old Perry Como type Christmases with only 2 channells on the tv and no cable and no internet that constantly bombard us with bad news. Don't we all long for a simpler time?

Basically, I just want to ENCOURAGE you.....focus on how strong you have been, how much worse your life would be with alcohol in it, and how much more terrific your future is without it. You have come this far; once the holidays are over you will be so very thankful that you kept your resolve. I look forward to joining you soon.

P.S. I know that some of you will want to encourage me to quit now and you would be right. I just feel that since I have waited this long, I might as well spoil it for myself for the rest of the season. Is that crazy or what?